From That Original Breath

Today November 24, we mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species.

The New Scientist website is sponsoring a contest in Darwin's honor, to take the last sentence from his book and turn it into a work of art. Here is that line:

"There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."

Do I detect in the phrase "having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one," a nod to the Creator?

Breath is the motivating force that gets life going. It's a deeply ingrained metaphor that we take for granted in our everyday speech; for example:

~ "Major League Baseball needs Mark Cuban to breathe life into the game."

When we breathe life into something we bring it back, we resusitate it, we reanimate it.

Though Darwin became agnostic (Who knows?) later in life, he never lost his abiding belief in a creator that breathed out an original life-breath that started the whole process.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, Nov 24, 2009

Powerful Words

Feeling defeated? Powerless? In this economy, I wouldn't be surprised to hear "Yes" in response to such questions.

The good news, however, is that you have at your disposal a "secret weapon," a strength that you may not fully appreciate: the power of words.

Words can uplift, encourage, and inspire. Words can invite, welcome, and heal. The key, however, is to remember this bit of wisdom: "There's a great power in words, if you don't hitch too many of them together."

So keep your words simple, and down to earth.

Here are a few of the powerful words you already know and can start to use right away.


~ Thank you.

~ I'm sorry.

~ How can I help you?

~ What are the possibilities?

What are some other powerful words that you would add?

Remember: "Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world." Attributed to Buddha.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, Nov 23, 2009

Finding Your Way

Some of the clients I've been working with these past couple weeks are feeling like their jobs (and their lives) are out of control. They have been through downsizings, and are now "doing more with less."

Some said they are overbooked and overwhelmed, feeling like they are drowning. Some have just about given up on planning because every day is filled with unplanned surprises. For others, stress is high, nerves are on edge, and tempers are rising. Some even said that their personal and family life is starting to suffer.

The flash that came to me was that they are trying to find their pathways through chaos.

Two of my favorite bloggers, Dick Richards and Curt Rosengren, have recently offered some wisdom about finding your pathway.

At his blog Riding on Dragons, Dick Richards has an entry called "Another Pathway" (a followup to an earlier entry called "The Mythic Pull of Pathways"). In these pieces about paths, roads and trails (that he has photographed so beautifully), he muses about the "pull" of pathways:

~ "The question–why am I attracted to images of pathways?–is yet another pathway that leads to an uncertain destination and so attracts me in the same way that I am attracted to the pathways in these photos. It seems that certain phenomena, be they photographic images or unanswered questions, draw me in because I cannot see where they lead–they invite me to seek and so allow expression for the mythic energy of the Seeker."

I know what he means. I have always been a seeker too. One who is drawn to the "pull of the road," wondering what discovery is around the next bend.

At his blog The Map Maker, Curt Rosengren has an entry called "The Power of the Crossroads of Possibility." In it, he asks: "What would happen if you really and truly looked at each moment, not as simply a continuation of an inevitable single-track path, but as a crossroads jam packed with potential directions?"

To start exploring the possibilities, he recommends that we stop and ask, "What are the possibilities here? Where am I going? Where do I want to go? What choices or steps can I find right here and now that would lead me - even incrementally - towards that goal?"

Coming back to my clients in chaos, I believe that exploring possible pathways is what they need to find their way through chaos. But how can they do that when everything is raging around them?

Here are a few thoughts that might help.

~ F for Focus: In the midst of chaos, it's like you are in a storm. Distractions are flying all around you. How do you find a calm center in the storm, a place you can go where the din is not so loud?

~ A for Attention: Chaos can scatter your attention, shattering it across too many "to do's" and priorities. Multi-tasking does not work. How do you pay attention to the things that matters most? Things like your own goals? Your family? Your health?

~ S for Slow: A few years ago, journalist Carl Honore published a book about the Slow Movement. In his TED Talk on the positives of slowness, he recommends "getting in touch with your inner tortoise." How do you get out of the fast lane for awhile?

~ T for Think: In the storm of organizational chaos, the winds are strong. How can you think? You need to raise the unanswered questions, weigh the knowns, and consider your choices.

Although the organizational chaos may feel like you are driving the Indy speedway, a period of focused, attentive, slow-paced thought, centering on the One Thing of most value to You and to the organization, may be just the thing for discerning the pathway forward.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, Nov 19, 2009

Show Up. Give Back. Go Forth!

I'm pleased to feature my wife, Joan Best Seamon, the Director of Music at St. Matthias, as today's guest blogger! Recently, at our parish in Somerset, NJ, Joan wrote the following essay for our church bulletin. It was inspired by our parish engagement initiative.

Show Up, Give Back, Go Forth

Recently, our pastoral staff and pastoral council met to discern new directions for our parish over the next few years. As we shared ideas and concerns, our discussion centered on how we might express more clearly our expectations of the members of our parish.

So if you are a member of the Catholic Community of St. Matthias, what do we , or, even more important, what does God expect of you?

1. Show up! That sounds like a major oversimplification, but it’s true. We need you to come to Mass every week. Your presence as the Body of Christ receiving the Body of Christ is vital to the energy and spirit of our parish. Our weekly worship is our chance to see each other, pray with each other and be nourished by the Word and Sacrament. When our church is full of young people, old people and everyone in between, it becomes a real sign of Christ’s living presence. It feels good and important.

I know- you are thinking that you are only one person- what difference does it make if you show up or not. I’m telling you-it does! You might smile at someone, greet someone, or simply be a model for someone of a faith filled life. You have no idea how powerful your presence can be. But if you are not here, and especially if your children are not here, nothing can happen. What’s the point ?

2. Give back! Give back to God gratefully a portion of what God has given to you. That’s what stewardship is all about, but sometimes the real meaning of the word eludes us. St. Matthias certainly needs and
depends upon your financial support to continue our many and varied ministries to the poor and less fortunate – ministries that you may not have needed yet but you might someday. Equally important is the giving back of your time and your talent.

Face it. We all want to feel like we are making a difference in this world to give our lives purpose and meaning. The many ministries at St. Matthias exist to give our members an organized way to do just that. Just think about what you are good at or what you like to do, and offer your help to someone or some group. Some are obvious. If you like to make music, join one of our music groups. If you like coming to Mass and are a friendly person, become one of our Ministers of Hospitality. If you have expertise in a particular area – law enforcement, interior design, …and have an idea for how you might like to share that knowledge, let us know. If you can carry bags of food to your car, help out with our Food Bank collection. If you are free to come to funerals during the week, join our Lazarus Group. It’s not that hard to find just one way to connect and to give back. If you are waiting for a personal invitation, this is it!

3. Go forth! Don’t just be holy in church on Sunday or at an HSA meeting or a GIFT night. Be holy all week long. Be kinder to clerks, co-workers and coaches, not to mention your spouses, parents and children. Make better and more compassionate decisions. You are baptized and a child of God! Act like it! I know life’s not easy, but that’s why we come together so often to help each other figure it out, with God’s help, the guidance of Jesus and the energy of the Holy Spirit.

So, show up, give back and go forth. And let’s do it soon. The church year is ending and another one is just around the corner. The world needs you, your parish needs you. There is no time like right now!

Copyright 2009 by Joan B. Seamon

Posted by Terrence Seamon, Nov 17, 2009

Put Yourself Out There

In getting ready to teach job hunters how to make the most of LinkedIn as a tool in their job search, I came across the article about Charles Pixley. He's the investment banker who, after losing his job in the recession, decided to market himself by wearing a sandwich board and standing at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street until he got an offer.

Pixley said: "Believe in yourself, improve yourself, put yourself out there. Have yourself seen. You resume will go into a pile. It's just another resume, just more words. There's no color. These posters provided my soul. It says everything in one lump page."

Take a close look at his poster. It says in part:

Investment Banker. 30+ years. Enlightened Leadership. Mission Driven.

Wow. What a great elevator pitch in visual form. Tenacious Pixley shows us how to put yourself out there and be seen.

The folks at the LinkedIn presentation were wowed by his example. And I showed them how LinkedIn can help them become more visible to employers and business partners.


Posted by Terrence Seamon, Nov 15, 2009